1. conduit \kän′dwət\ [This word is from an English word which came from a French [\kän′do̵̅o̅ it\] word.]
n (474-2)
a pipe or channel through which something passes
The water flowed through the conduit into the container.
2. hiatus \hī ā′təs\ [This word is from Latin.]
[\hī ā′dəs\] n (1065-2)
a break or gap in continuation or continuity
The hiatus in service should last two or three months – until the cable lines are repaired.
3. utopia \yo̵̅o̅ tō′pē ə\ [This word is from two Greek words.] [no alternate pronunciation(s)] n (2525-3)
imaginary and remote place of perfection
Everyone in the world wants to live in a utopia, but no one can agree how to go about building one.
4. opulent \op′yə lənt\ [This word is from Latin.]
[no alternate pronunciation(s)] adj (1585-1)
characterized by rich abundance verging on ostentation
The opulent furnishings of the dictator’s compound contrasted harshly with the meager accommodations of her subjects.
5. zenith \zē′nith\ [This word is from a word in English which came from a word [\zē′nəth\] in French which came from a word in Latin which came from a
word in Arabic.] n (2657-2)
the highest point, culminating point
I was too nice to tell Nelly that she had reached the absolute
zenith of her career with that one hit of hers.
6. feral \fir′əl\ [This word is from Latin plus a Latin combining form.]
[\fer′əl\] adj (838-2)
wild, savage
That beast looks so feral that I would fear being alone with it.
7. bombastic \bäm bas′tik\ [This word is from a French word which is from a Latin word [no alternate pronunciation(s)] which came from a Greek word.]
adj (249-3)
excessively confident, pompous
The singer’s bombastic performance disgusted the crowd.
8. kudos \ko̵̅o̅′dōz\ [This word is from Greek.]
[\ko̵̅o̅′dōs\] n (1256-3)
praise for an achievement
After the performance, the reviewers gave the opera singer kudos for a job well done.
9. reservoir \rez′əv wär′\ [This word is from French plus a French combining form.] [\re′zə vwôr′\] n (1931-1)
a natural or artificial place used for collecting and storing water
After graduation, the more rebellious members of the senior class jumped into the town reservoir used for drinking water.
10. mercurial \mər kyo̵̅o̅r′ē əl\ [This word is from Latin.] [no alternate pronunciation(s)] adj (1413-2)
characterized by rapid change or tempermentality
Though he was widely respected for his mathematical proofs, the
mercurial genius was impossible to live with.
11. tedious \tē′dē əs\ [This word is from an English word which is from a Latin word.]
[\tē′jəs\] adj (2348-3)
dull, boring
As time passed and the history professor continued to drone on and on, the lecture became increasingly tedious.
extremely joyful, happy
The crowd was jubilant when the firefighter carried the woman from the flaming building.
The following word is a homonym. Inform speller that this word is a homonym and provide, without being asked by the speller to do so, the word’s part of speech and definition.
13. wanton \won′tən\ [This word is from English plus an English combining form.] [no alternate pronunciation(s)] adj (2575-1) [has homonym: wonton]
undisciplined, lewd, lustful
Vicky’s wanton demeanor often made the frat guys next door very excited.
14. accentuate \ ak sen′chə wāt′\ [This word is from Latin.] [\ək sen′c̸ho̵̅o̅ āt\] v (10-3)
to stress, emphasize.
Psychologists agree that those people who are happiest
accentuate the positive in life.
15. guile \gīl\ [This word is from an English word which came from a French
[no alternate pronunciation(s)] word.] n (1009-3)
deceitful, cunning, sly behavior
Because of his great guile, the politician was able to survive scandal after scandal.
16. vehemently \vē′ə mənt lē\ [This word is from Latin.] [no alternate pronunciation(s)] adv (2538-1)
marked by intense force or emotion
The candidate vehemently opposed cutting back on Social Security funding.
17. dynamic \dī nam′ik\ [This word is from French, Latin and Greek.] [no alternate pronunciation(s)] adj (711-1)
actively changing
The parents found it hard to keep up with the dynamic music scene with which their children had become very familiar.
18. placid \plas′əd\ [This word is from Latin.]
[no alternate pronunciation(s)] adj (1728-1) calm, peaceful
The placid lake surface was as smooth as glass.
19. sedentary \sed′n ter’ē\ [This word is from French which came from a Latin word.] [no alternate pronunciation(s)] adj (2054-1)
sitting, settled
The sedentary cat did little but loll in the sun.
20. inept \in ept′\ [This word is from French which came from a Latin word.]
[\i nept′\] adj (1156-2)
not suitable or capable, unqualified
She proved how inept she was when she forgot three orders and spilled a beer in a customer’s lap.
21. vivacious \və va′shəs\ [This word is from Latin plus an English combining form.] [\vī va′ shəs\] adj (2560-1)
lively, sprightly
The vivacious clown makes all of the children laugh and giggle with his friendly antics.
22. yoke \yōk\ [This word is from English.] [no alternate pronunciation(s)] v (2653-1) [has homonym: yolk]
to join, link
We yoked together the logs by tying a string around them.
23. negligent \neg′lə jənt\ [This word is from an English word which came from a French [no alternate pronunciation(s)] word and a Latin word.]
adj (1513-3)
habitually careless, neglectful
Jessie’s grandfather called me a negligent fool after I left the door to his apartment unlocked even though there had been a recent string of robberies.
24. lithe \līt̸h\ [This word is from English.]
[\līth\] adj (1321-2&3)
graceful, flexible, supple
Although the dancers were all outstanding, Jae Sun’s control of her lithe body was particularly impressive.
25. benign \bə nīn′\ [This word is from an English word which came from a French [\bē nīn′\] word which came from a Latin word.]
adj (204-2)
favorable, not threatening, mild
We are all relieved to hear that the medical tests determined her tumor to be benign.
26. wizened \wīz′ənd\ [This word is from an English word.]
[\wē′z ənd\] adj (2628-2)
dry, shrunken, wrinkled
Agatha’s grandmother, Stephanie, had the most wizened countenance, full of leathery wrinkles.
27. reconcile \rek′ən sīl′\ [This word is from a French or Latin word.] [no alternate pronunciation(s)] v (1897-2)
to return to harmony
The feuding neighbors finally reconciled when one brought the other a delicious tuna noodle casserole.
The following word is a homonym. Inform speller that this word is a homonym and provide, without being asked by the speller to do so, the word’s part of speech and definition.
28. deliberate \də lib′ə rət\ [This word is from Latin.]
[\dē lib′ə rət\] adj (596-2) [has homonym: deliberate] intentional, reflecting careful consideration
Though Mary was quite upset, her actions to resolve the dispute were deliberate.
29. auspicious \ð spish′ əs\ [This word is from Latin plus an English combining form.] [no alternate pronunciation(s)] adj (145-1)
favorable, indicative of good things.
The tennis player considered the sunny forecast an auspicious sign that she would win her match.
30. excavate \eks′kə vāt′ \ [This word is from Latin.]
[no alternate pronunciation(s)] v (791-2)
to dig out of the ground and remove
The pharaoh’s treasures were excavated by archeologists in Egypt.
31. immerse \ə mərs′\ [This word is from Latin.]
[\i mərs′\] v (1130-1)
to absorb, deeply involve, engross
After breaking up with her boyfriend, Nancy decided to immerse herself in her work in order to avoid crying.
32. quaint \kwānt\ [This word is from an English word which came from a French
charmingly old-fashioned
Hilda was delighted by the quaint bonnets she saw in Amish country.
33. usurp \yoo sərp′\ [This word is from an English word which came from a French [\yoo zərp′\] word which came from a Latin word.]
v (2525-1)
to seize by force, take possession of without right
The rogue army general tried to usurp control of the government, but he failed because most of the army backed the legally elected president.
34. mutable \myood′ə bəl\ [This word is from Latin.]
[\myoot′ə bəl\] adj (1492-3) able to change
Because fashion is so mutable, what is trendy today will look outdated in five years.
35. callous \kal′əs\ [This word is from a French word which came from a Latin [no alternate pronunciation(s)] word.]
adj (319-1)
harsh, cold, unfeeling
The murderer’s callous lack of remorse shocked the jury.
36. gluttony \glət′ən ē\ [This word is from an English word which came from a French [no alternate pronunciation(s)] word.]
n (969-2)
overindulgence in food or drink
Ada’s fried chicken tastes so divine, I don’t know how anyone can call gluttony a sin.
37. mandate \man′dāt\ [This word is from both French and Latin.]
[no alternate pronunciation(s)] n (1373-2)
authoritative command
In the Old Testament, God mandates that no one should steal.
38. surrogate \sur′ə gāt\ [This word is from Latin.]
[\sur′ə gət\] n (2302-1)
one acting in place of another
The surrogate carried the child to term for its biological parents.
39. vestige \ves′tij\ [This word is from a Latin word that became French.]
[\ves′tēj\] n (2547-3)
a mark or trace of something lost or vanished
Do you know if the Mexican tortilla is a vestige of some form of Aztec corn-based flat bread?
40. lavish \la′vish\ [This word is from English.]
[\la′vēsh\] adj (1279-2)
given without limits
Because they had worked very hard, the performers appreciated the critic’s lavish praise.
41. judicious \joo dish′ əs\ [This word is from a French word which came from a Latin [no alternate pronunciation(s)] word.]
adj (1223-3)
having or exercising sound judgment
When the judicious king decided to compromise rather than send his army to its certain death, he was applauded.
42. elicit \ə lis′ət\ [This word is from a Latin word.] [\i lis′it\] v (736-1) [has homonym: illicit]
to bring forth, draw out, evoke
Although I asked several times where the exit was, I elicited no response from the stone-faced policeman.
43. knell \nel\ [This word is from an English word.]
[no alternate pronunciation(s)] n (1249-1)
the solemn sound of a bell, often indicating a death
Echoing throughout our village, the funeral knell made the stormy day even more grim.
44. pallid \pal′əd\ [This word is from Latin.]
[\pal′id\] adj (1626-1)
lacking color
Dr. Van Helsing feared that Lucy’s pallid complexion was due to an unexplained loss of blood.
45. trite \trīt\ [This word is from Latin.]
[no alternate pronunciation(s)] adj (2449-1&2) not original, overused
Keith thought of himself as being very learned, but everyone else thought he was trite because his observations about the world were always the same as David Letterman’s.
46. obsolete \äb′sə lēt′\ [This word is from Latin.]
[\äb′sə lēt′\] adj (1558-3)
no longer used, out of date
With the inventions of tape decks and CDs, which both have better sound and are easier to use, eight- track players are now entirely
obsolete.
47. frugal \froo′gəl\ [This word is from French or Latin.]
[no alternate pronunciation(s)] adj (916-1) thrifty, economical
Richard is so frugal that his diet consists almost exclusively of catfish and chicken liver – the two most inexpensive foods in the store.
48. novice \näv′əs\ [This word is from an English word which came from a French [\näv′is\] word which came from a Latin word.]
n (1546-2&3)
a beginner, someone without training or experience
Because we were all novices at yoga, our instructor decided to begin with basics.
49. ruminate \roo′mə nāt′\ [This word is from Latin.]
[no alternate pronunciation(s)] v (1987-2)
to contemplate, reflect
Terry liked to ruminate while sitting on the banks of the river, staring pensively into the water.
The following word is a homonym. Inform speller that this word is a homonym and provide, without being asked by the speller to do so, the word’s part of speech and definition.
50. hardy \har′dē\ [This word is from an English word which came from a French
[no alternate pronunciation(s)] word which came from a German word.]
adj (1033-3) [has homonym: [has homonym: hearty] robust, capable of surviving through adverse conditions
I too would have expected the plants to be dead by mid-November, but apparently they’re very hardy.
51. resplendent \rə splen′dənt\ [This word is from Latin.] [no alternate pronunciation(s)] adj (1935-1)
The partygoers were resplendent in diamonds and fancy dress.
52. aberration \ab′ə rā′shən\ [This word is from Latin plus an English combining form.] [\a′bə rā′shən\] n (3-2)
something that differs from the norm
In 1918, the Boston Red Sox won the World Series, but the success turned out to be an aberration, and the Red Sox have not won a World Series since.
53. heterogeneous \hed′ə rō jē′nē əs\ [This word is from Latin which came from two Greek words.] [\hed′ər ə jēn′yəs\] adj (1062-2)
varied, diverse in character
I hate having only one flavor so I always buy the swirled, or should I say heterogeneous, type of ice cream.
54. paradigm \par′ə dīm′\ [This word is from Latin which came from a word in Greek.] [\par′ə dim′\] n (1635-3)
an example that is a perfect pattern or model
Because the new SUV was so popular, it became the paradigm upon which all others were modeled.
55. dirge \dərj\ [This word is from English which came from a word in Latin.]
[no alternate pronunciation(s)] n (642-1)
a mournful song, especially for a funeral
The bagpipers played a dirge as the casket was carried to the cemetery.
56. timorous \tim′ər əs\ [This word is from English which came from a word in French [tim′ə rəs\] which came from a word in Latin.]
adj (2396-1) timid, fearful
When dealing with the unknown, timorous Tallulah almost always broke into tears.
57. emollient \ə mäl′yənt\ [This word is from Latin.]
[\i mäl′yənt \] adj(742-2) soothing
This emollient cream makes my skin very smooth.
58. antiquated \an′ti kwā′tid\ [This word is from Latin.] [\an′ti kwāt′id\] adj (96-1)
old, out of date
That antiquated car has none of the features, like power windows and steering, that make modern cars so great.
59. innocuous \i näk′yə wəs\ [This word is from Latin.] [\i näk′yoo əs\] adj (1166-1)
harmless, inoffensive
In spite of their innocuous appearance, these mushrooms are actually quite poisonous.
60. largess \lär jes′\ [This word is from French.]
[\lär′jis\] n (1273-1)
the generous giving of lavish gifts
My boss demonstrated great largess by giving me a new car.
61. pugnacious \pəg nā′shəs\ [This word is from Latin plus an English combining form.] [no alternate pronunciation(s)] adj (1838-3)
quarrelsome, combative
Aaron’s pugnacious nature led him to start several barroom brawls each month.
62. solicitous \sə lis′i dəs\ [This word is from Latin.] [\sə lis′i təs\] adj (2169-1)
concerned, attentive
Jim, laid up in bed with a nasty virus, enjoyed the solicitous attentions of his mother, who brought him soup and extra blankets.
63. turpitude \tər′pə tood′\ [This word is from French which came from a word in Latin.] [\tər′pi tyood′\] n (2469-3)
Sir Marcus’s chivalry often contrasted with the turpitude he exhibited with the ladies at the tavern.
64. viscous \vis′kəs\ [This word is from English which came from a Latin word.] [no alternate pronunciation(s)] adj (2557-1)
not free flowing, syrupy
The viscous syrup took three minutes to pour out of the bottle.
65. beseech \bə sēch′\ [This word is from English.]
[\bē sēch\] v (207-2)
to beg, plead, implore
The servant beseeched the king for food to feed his starving family.
66. impervious \im pər′vē əs\ [This word is from Latin.] [no alternate pronunciation(s)] adj (1134-1)
impenetrable, incapable of being affected
Because of their thick layer of fur, many seals are almost
impervious to the cold.
67. whimsical \hwim′zə kəl\ [This word has an unknown origin.] [\wim′zə kəl\] adj (2604-2)
fanciful, full of whims
The whimsical little girl liked to pretend that she was an elvin princess.
68. nefarious \nə fa′rē əs\ [This word is from Latin.]
[\nə fer′ ē əs\] adj (1513-1) heinously villainous
Although Dr. Meanman’s nefarious plot to melt the polar icecaps was terrifying, it was so impractical that nobody really worried about it.
69. serene \sə rēn′\ [This word is from Latin.]
[no alternate pronunciation(s)] adj (2072-2) calm, untroubled
Louise stood in front of the Mona Lisa, puzzling over the famous woman’s serene smile.
70. maudlin \môd′lən\ [This word is from English which came from a word in French [no alternate pronunciation(s)] which came from a word in Latin which came from a word in
Greek.] adj (1395-1) weakly sentimental
Although many people enjoy romantic comedies, I usually find them maudlin and shallow.
71. querulous \kwər ′yə ləs\ [This word is from Latin.] [\kwer′ə ləs\] adj (1863-2&3)
whiny, complaining
If deprived of his pacifier, young Brendan becomes querulous. 72. colloquial \kə lōk′wē əl\ [This word is from Latin.]
[no alternate pronunciation(s)] adj (446-2)
characteristic of informal conversation
Adam’s essay on sexual response in primates was marked down because it contained too many colloquial expressions.
73. mundane \mən dān′\ [This word is from English which came from a word in French [\mən′dān\] which came from a word in Latin.]
adj (1487-2)
concerned with the world rather than with heaven, commonplace
He is more concerned with the mundane issues of day-to-day life than with spiritual topics.
74. vindictive \vin dik′tiv\ [This word is from Latin plus an English combining form.] [no alternate pronunciation(s)] adj (2553-1)
The vindictive madman seeks to exact vengeance for any insult that he perceives is directed at him, no matter how small.
75. ostracism \äs′trə siz′əm\ [This word is from two Greek words.] [no alternate pronunciation(s)] n (1598-1)
exclusion from a group
Beth risked ostracism if her roommates discovered her flatulence. 76. forbearance \fôr bər′əns\ [This word is from English.]
[\fôr beər′əns\] n (886-3)
patience, restraint, toleration
The doctor showed great forbearance in calming down the angry patient who shouted insults at him.
77. sanctimonious \saŋ′tə mō′nē əs\ [This word is from Latin plus an English combining form.] [no alternate pronunciation(s)] adj (2008-3)
giving a hypocritical appearance of piety
The sanctimonious Bertrand delivered stern lectures on the Ten Commandments to anyone who would listen, but thought nothing of stealing cars to make some cash on the side.
78. pernicious \pər nish′əs\ [This word is from French which came from a word in Latin.] [no alternate pronunciation(s)] adj (1684-1)
extremely destructive or harmful
The new government feared that the Communist’s sympathizers would have a pernicious influence on the nation’s stability. 79. felicitous \fə lis′ə dəs\ [This word is from English which came from a word in French
[\fə lis′ə təs\] which came from a word in Latin plus an English combining form.]
adj (835-3) well suited, apt
While his comments were idiotic and rambling, mine were felicitous and helpful.
80. clandestine \klan des′tən\ [This word is from French or Latin.] [no alternate pronunciation(s)] adj (415-1)
secret
Announcing to her boyfriend that she was going to the gym, Sophie actually went to meet Joseph for a clandestine liaison.
81. egregious \ə gre′jes\ [This word is from Latin.]
[\ē gre′jəs\] adj (727-1) [\i gre′jē əs\] extremely bad
The student who threw sloppy joes across the cafeteria was punished for his egregious behavior.
82. incorrigible \in kôr′ə jə bəl\ [This word is from three Latin words.] [\in kär′ə jə bəl\] adj (1145-3)
incapable of correction, delinquent
You can buy Grandma nicotine gum all you want, but I think that after sixty-five years of smoking she’s incorrigible.
83. rhapsodize \rap′sə dīz′\ [This word is from Latin which came from a Greek word plus an [no alternate pronunciation(s)] English combining form.]
v (1946-2)
to engage in excessive enthusiasm
The critic rhapsodized about the movie, calling it an instant classic.
84. saccharine \sak′ər in\ [This word is from Latin plus an English combining form. [\sak′ə rēn′\] adj (1995-2)
[\sak′ə rīn′\] sickeningly sweet
Tom’s saccharine manner, although intended to make him popular, actually repelled his classmates.
[no alternate pronunciation(s)] v (2573-2)
to roll oneself indolently; to become or remain helpless
My roommate can’t get over her breakup with her boyfriend and now just wallows in self-pity.
86. licentious \lī sen′chəs\ [This word is from two Latin words.] [\li sen′shəs] adj (1304-3)
displaying a lack of moral or legal restraints
Marilee has always been fascinated by the licentious private lives of politicians.
87. tortuous \tôr′chəw əs\ [This word is from English which is from a French [no alternate pronunciation(s)] word which is from two Latin words.]
adj (2414-1) winding
The scary thing about driving in the mountains are the narrow,
tortuous roads.
88. gregarious \grə gar′ē əs\ [This word is from Latin.] [\grē ger′ē əs\] adj (998-1)
drawn to the company of others, sociable
Well, if you’re not gregarious, I don’t know why you want to go to a singles party!
The following word is a homonym. Inform speller that this word is a homonym and provide, without being asked by the speller to do so, the word’s part of speech and definition.
89. buffet \buf’it\ [This word is from English which is from a French
[no alternate pronunciation(s)] word.]
v (291-1) [has homonym: buffet] to strike with force
The strong winds buffeted the ships, threatening to capsize them.
90. disseminate \di sem’ə nat\ [This word is from Latin.] [no alternate pronunciation(s)] v (656-2)
to spread widely
The politician disseminated his ideas across the town before the election.
91. stagnate \stag’nat\ [This word is from Latin.]
[no alternate pronunciation(s)] v (2220-2)
to become or remain inactive, not develop, not flow
With no room for advancement, the waiter’s career stagnated. 92. meritorious \mer’i tor’e əs\ [This word is from English which came from a
[\mer’i tor´e əs\] Latin Word.] adj (1414-3)
worthy of esteem or reward
Manfred was given the Congressional Medal of Honor for his meritorious actions.
93. officious \ə fish’əs\ [This word is from Latin.]
[no alternate pronunciation(s)] adj (1567-2)
offering one’s services when they are neither wanted nor needed. Brenda resented Allen’s officious behavior when he selected colors that might best improve her artwork.
94. grandiose \gran’de os’\ [This word is from French.] [no alternate pronunciation(s)] adj (988-1)
on a magnificent or exaggerated scale
Margaret planned a grandiose party, replete with elephants, trapeze artists, and clowns.
95. vacuous \vak’yoo əs\ [This word is from Latin.]
[no alternate pronunciation(s)] adj (2527-3)
lack of content or ideas, stupid
Beyonce realized that the lyrics she had just penned were completely vacuous and tried to add more substance.
[no alternate pronunciation(s)] n (1049-1)
one who believes pleasure should be the primary pursuit of humans
Because he’s such a hedonist, I knew Murray would appreciate the 11 cases of wine I bought him for his birthday.
97. spurious \spyoor’e əs\ [This word is from Latin.]
[no alternate pronunciation(s)] adj (2212-3)
false but designed to seem plausible
Using a spurious argument, John convinced the others that he had won the board game on a technicality.
98. paramount \par’ə mount’\ [This word is from French.] [no alternate pronunciation(s)] adj (1638-2)
greatest in importance, rank, character
It was paramount that the bomb squad disconnect the blue wire before removing the fuse.
99. flaccid \flak’sid\ [This word is from Latin.]
[\flas’id\] adj (862-1)
limp, not firm or strong
If a plant is not watered enough, its leaves become droopy and flaccid.
100. nonchalant \non’shə lant’\ [This word is from French.] [\non’shə lant’\] adj (1535-3)
[\non’shə lənt’\] having a lack of concern, indifference
Although deep down she was very angry, Marsha acted in a nonchalant manner when she found out that her best friend had used her clothing without asking.
101. obscure \əb skyoor’\ [This word is from English which came from a word [no alternate pronunciation(s)] in French which came from a word in Latin.]
adj (1557-3)
unclear, partially hidden
Because he was standing the shadows, his features were obscure.
The following word is a homonym. Inform speller that this word is a homonym and provide, without being asked by the speller to do so, the word’s part of speech and definition.
102. illicit \i lis’it\ [This word is from Latin.]
[no alternate pronunciation(s)] adj (1126-3) [has homonym: elicit] forbidden, not permitted
The fourth-grader learned many illicit words from a pamphlet that was being passed around school.
103. taciturn \tas’i turn’\ [This word is from Latin.]
[no alternate pronunciation(s)] adj (2326-1) not inclined to talk
Though Jane never seems to stop talking, her brother is quite taciturn.
104. quandary \kwon’də re\ [This word’s origin is unknown.]
[\kwon’dre\] n (1859-1)
a perplexed, unresolvable state
Carlos found himself in a quandary; should he choose mint chocolate chip or cookie dough?
105. cacophony \kə kof’ə ne\ [This word is from both French and Latin.] [no alternate pronunciation(s)] n (311-2)
tremendous noise, disharmonious sound
The elementary school orchestra created a cacophony at the recital.
[no alternate pronunciation(s)] adj (1880-1)
having a terrible taste or smell
Rob was double-dog-dared to eat the rancid egg salad sandwich.
107. ecstatic \ek stat’ik\ [This word is from Latin.]
[no alternate pronunciation(s)] n (721-1)
intensely and overpoweringly happy
The couple was ecstatic when they learned that they had won the lottery.
108. vociferous \vo sif’ər əs\ [This word is from Latin.] [no alternate pronunciation(s)] adj (2561-2)
loud, boisterous
I’m tired of his vociferous whining so I’m breaking up with him.
109. abdicate \ab’di kat\ [This word is from Latin.]
[no alternate pronunciation(s)] v (2-3)
to give up a position, usually one of leadership
When he realized that the revolutionaries would surely win, the king abdicated his throne.
110. frenetic \frə net’ik\ [This word is from an English word which came from [no alternate pronunciation(s)] a French word which came from a Latin word.]
adj (909-2)
frenzied, hectic, frantic
In the hours between night and morning, the frenetic pace of city life slows to a lull.
111. maelstrom \mal’strəm\ [This word is from Dutch.]
[no alternate pronunciation(s)] n (1357-2)
a destructive whirlpool which rapidly sucks in objects
Little did the explorers know that as they turned the next bend of the calm river a vicious maelstrom would catch their boat. 112. unctuous \ungk’choo əs\ [This word is from an English word which came from
[no alternate pronunciation(s)] a French word which came from a Latin word.] adj (2487-1)
smooth or greasy in texture, appearance, manner
The unctuous receptionist seemed untrustworthy, as if she was only being helpful because she thought we might give her a big tip.
113. decorous \dek’ər əs\ [This word is from Latin.]
[no alternate pronunciation(s)] adj (587-3)
socially proper, appropriate
The appreciative guest displayed decorous behavior toward his host.
114. insipid \in sip’id\ [This word is from French and Latin.]
[no alternate pronunciation(s)] adj (1169-3) dull, boring
The play was so insipid, I fell asleep halfway through. 115. fastidious \fa stid’e əs\ [This word is from an English word which came from
[\fə stid’e əs\] a French word and a Latin word.] adj (827-1)
meticulous, demanding, having high and often unattainable standards
Mark is so fastidious that he is never able to finish a project because it always seems imperfect to him.
116. sinuous \sin’yoo əs\ [This word is from Latin.]
[no alternate pronunciation(s)] adj (2126-2) lithe, serpentine
With the sinuous movements of her arms, the dancer mimicked the motion of a snake.
[no alternate pronunciation(s)] a French word.] v (525-2)
to desire enviously
I coveted Moses’s house, wife, and car.
118. petulance \pech’ə ləns\ [This word is from a French word which came from a [no alternate pronunciation(s)] Latin word.]
n (1691-3)
rudeness, irritability
The Nanny resigned after she could no longer tolerate the child’s petulance.
119. lethargic \lə thar’jik\ [This word is from French, Latin, and Greek.] [no alternate pronunciation(s)] adj (1297-3)
in a state of sluggishness or apathy
When Jean Claude explained to his boss that he was lethargic and didn’t feel like working that day, the boss fired him.
120. regurgitate \ri gur’ji tat\ [This word is from Latin.] [no alternate pronunciation(s)] v (1914-1)
to vomit
Feeling sick, Chuck regurgitated his dinner.
121. implement \im’plə mənt\ [This word is from an English word which came from [no alternate pronunciation(s)] a Latin word.]
n (1134-3)
an instrument, utensil, tool
Do you have a knife or some other sort of implement that I could use to pry the lid off of this jar?
122. acrimony \ak’rə mo’ne\ [This word is from a French word which came from a [no alternate pronunciation(s)] Latin word.]
n (19-2)
bitterness, discord
Though they vowed that no girl would ever come between them, Biff and Trevor could not keep acrimony from overwhelming their friendship after they both fell in love with the lovely Teresa. 123. enfranchise \en fran’chiz\ [This word is from an English word which came from
[no alternate pronunciation(s)] a French word.] v (751-2)
to grant the vote to
The Nineteenth Amendment enfranchised women. 124. scathing \ska’thing\ [This word is from an English word which came from
[no alternate pronunciation(s)] a Norse word.] adj (2027-1)
sharp, critical, hurtful
Two hours after breaking up with Russell, Suzanne thought of the perfect scathing retort to his accusations.
125. battery \bat’ə re\ [This word is from French.]
[no alternate pronunciation(s)] n (187-1)
a device that supplies power
Most cars run on a combination of power from a battery and gasoline.
126. assail \ə sal\ [This word is from an English word which came from
[no alternate pronunciations(s)] a French word which came from a Latin word.] v (130-3)
to attack
At dawn, the war planes assailed the boats in the harbor.
127. paradox \par’ə doks’\ [This word is from a Latin word which came from [no alternate pronunciation(s)] a Greek word.]
n (1636-1)
The diplomat refused to acknowledge the paradox that negotiating a peace treaty would demand more resources than waging war.
128. chastise \chas tiz’\ [This word is from an English word.]
[\chas’tiz\] v (379-3)
to criticize severely
After being chastised by her peers for mimicking Britney Spears, Miranda dyed her hair black and affected a Gothic Style.
129. wrath \rath\ [This word is from an English word.]
[\rath\] n (2639-1)
vengeful anger, punishment
Did you really want to incur her wrath when she is known for inflicting the worst punishments legally possible?
130. aggrandize \ə gran’diz\ [This word is from a French word which came from a [\ag’rən diz’\] Latin word.]
v (41-2)
to increase or make greater
Joseph always dropped the names of the famous people his father knew as a way to aggrandize his personal stature.
131. vilify \vil’ə fi’\ [This word is from Latin.]
[no alternate pronunciation(s)] v (2552-1)
to lower in importance, defame
After the Watergate scandal, almost any story written about President Nixon sought to vilify him and criticize his behavior. 132. incessant \in ses’ənt\ [This word is from an English word which comes
[no alternate pronunciation(s)] from a Latin word.] adj (1141-3) unending
We wanted to go outside and play, but the incessant rain kept us indoors for two days.
133. transient \tran’shənt\ [This word is from Latin.]
[\tran’zhənt\] adj (2428-1)
\tran’ze ənt\] passing through briefly; passing into and out of existence Because virtually everyone in Palm Beach is a tourist, the population of the town is quite transient.
134. diaphanous \di af’ə nəs\ [This word is from a Latin word which came from a [no alternate pronunciation(s)] Greek word.]
adj (624-3)
light, airy, transparent
Sunlight poured in through the diaphanous curtains, brightening the room.
135. plethora \pleth’ər ə\ [This word is from a Latin word which came from a [no alternate pronunciation(s)] Greek word.]
n (1740-2)
an abundance, excess
The wedding banquet included a plethora of oysters piled almost three feet high.
136. disheartened \dis har’tnd\ [This word is from English and Latin.] [no alternate pronunciation(s)] adj (649-3)
feeling a loss of spirit or morale
The team was disheartened after losing in the finals of the tournament.
137. anachronistic \ə nak’rə nis’tik\ [This word is from Greek.] [no alternate pronunciation(s)] adj (76-1)
In this book you’re writing, you say that the Pyramids were built after the Titanic sank, which is anachronistic.
138. rescind \ri sind’\ [This word is from Latin.]
[no alternate pronunciation(s)] v (1930-1)
to take back, repeal
The company rescinded its offer of employment after discovering that Jane’s resume was full of lies.
139. exacerbate \ig zas’ər bat’\ [This word is from Latin.] [\ek sas’ər bat’\] v (791-1)
to make more violent, intense
The gruesome and scary movie I saw last night exacerbated my fears of the dark.
140. fractious \frak’shəs\ [This word is from an English word which came from [no alternate pronunciation(s)] a Latin word.]
adj (900-3)
troublesome or irritable
Although the child insisted he wasn’t tired, his fractious
behavior-especially his decision to crush his cheese and crackers all over the floor-convinced everyone present that it was time to put him to bed.
141. precocious \pri ko’shəs\ [This word is from Latin.] [no alternate pronunciation(s)] adj (1785-1)
advanced, developing ahead of time
Derek was so academically precocious that by the time he was 10 years old, he was already in the ninth grade.
142. succinct \sək singkt’\ [This word is from an English word which came from [no alternate pronunciation(s)] a Latin word.]
adj (2282-3)
marked by compact precision
The governor’s succinct speech energized the crowd while the mayor’s rambled on and on.
143. complicit \kəm plis’it\ [This word is from French.] [no alternate pronunciation(s)] adj (465-3)
being an accomplice in a wrongful act
By keeping her daughter’s affair a secret, Maddie became complicit in it.
144. extraneous \ik stra’ne əs\ [This word is from Latin.] [no alternate pronunciation(s)] adj (807-1)
irrelevant, extra, not necessary
Personal political ambitions should always remain extraneous to legislative policy, but, unfortunately, they rarely are.
145. noxious \nok’shəs\ [This word is from Latin.]
[no alternate pronunciation(s)] adj (1547-1)
harmful, unwholesome
Environmentalists showed that the noxious weeds were destroying the insects’ natural habitats.
146. resilient \ri zil’yənt\ [This word is from Latin.] [no alternate pronunciation(s)] adj (1932-2)
able to recover from misfortune; able to withstand adversity The resilient ballplayer quickly recovered from his wrist injury. 147. assuage \ə swaj’\ [This word is from an English word which came from
[\ə swazh’\] a French word which came from a Latin word.] v (133-2)
to ease, pacify
The mother held the baby to assuage its fears.
148. poignant \poin’yənt\ [This word is from an English word which came from [\poi’nənt\] a French word which came from a Latin word.]
deeply affecting, moving
My teacher actually cried after reading to us the poignant final chapter of the novel.
149. insolent \in’sə lənt\ [This word is from an English word which came from [no alternate pronunciation(s)] a Latin word.]
adj (1170-1)
rude, arrogant, overbearing
That celebrity is so insolent, making fun of his fans right to their faces.
150. propitious \prə pish’əs\ [This word is from an English word which came from [no alternate pronunciation(s)] a Latin word.]
adj (1818-3) favorable
The dark storm clouds visible on the horizon suggested that the weather would not be propitious for sailing.
151. imperious \im per’e əs\ [This word is from Latin.] [no alternate pronunciation(s)] adj (1133-3)
commanding, domineering
The imperious nature of your manner led me to dislike you at once.
152. deleterious \del’i ter’e əs\ [This word is from Greek.] [no alternate pronunciation(s)] adj (596-2)
harmful
She experienced the deleterious effects of running a marathon without stretching her muscles enough beforehand.
153. acquiesce \ak’we es’\ [This word is from a French word which came from a [no alternate pronunciation(s)] Latin word.]
v (18-3)
to agree without protesting
Though Mr. Correlli wanted to stay outside and work in his garage, when his wife told him that he had better come in to dinner, he acquiesced to her demands.
154. façade \fə sad’\ [This word is from a French word which came from
[\fa sad’\] an Italian word.] n (811-2)
the wall of a building
Meet me in front of the museum’s main façade.
155. censure \sen’shər\ [This word is from Latin.]
[no alternate pronunciation(s)] n (361-3) harsh criticism
The frustrated teenager could not put up with anymore of her critical mother’s censure.
156. effervescent \ef’ər ves’ ənt\ [This word is from Latin.] [no alternate pronunciation(s)] adj (725-1)
bubbly, lively
My friend is so effervescent that she makes everyone smile. 157. mendacious \men da’shəs\ [This word is from a Latin word and an English
[no alternate pronunciation(s)] word.] adj (1410-1)
having a lying, false character
The mendacious content of the tabloid magazines is at least entertaining.
158. bane \ban\ [This word is from English.] [no alternate pronunciation(s)] n (171-1) [has homonym: bain]
a burden
Advanced physics is the bane of many student’s academic lives. 159. scintillating \sin’tl at ing\ [This word is from Latin.]
[no alternate pronunciation(s)] adj (2033-2) sparkling
The ice skater’s scintillating rhinestone costume nearly blinded the judges.
160. odious \o’de əs\ [This word is from English which came from a
[no alternate pronunciation(s)] French word which came from a Latin word.] adj (1564-1)
instilling hatred or intense displeasure
Mark was assigned the odious task of cleaning the cat’s litter box. 161. desiccated \des’i kat’id\ [This word is from English which came from a Latin
[no alternate pronunciation(s)] word.] adj (611-2)
dried up, dehydrated
The skin of the desiccated mummy looked like old paper. 162. phlegmatic \fleg mat’ik\ [This word is from an English word which came from
[no alternate pronunciation(s)] a French word which came from a Latin word which came from a Greek word.]
adj (1698-3)
uninterested, unresponsive
Monique feared her dog was ill after the animal’s phlegmatic response to his favorite chew toy.
163. aesthetic \es thet’ik\ [This word is from a Greek word which came from a [no alternate pronunciation(s)] Latin word.]
adj (34-2)
artistic, related to the appreciation of beauty
We hired Susan as our interior decorator because she has such a fine aesthetic sense.
164. terrestrial \tə res’tre əl\ [This word is from English which came from a Latin [no alternate pronunciation(s)] word.]
adj (2360-2) relating to the land
Elephants are terrestrial animals.
165. eclectic \i klek’tik\ [This word is from Greek.]
[no alternate pronunciation(s)] adj (719-3)
consisting of a diverse variety of elements
That bar attracts and eclectic crowd: lawyers, artists, circus clowns, and investment bankers.
166. indigenous \in dij’ə nəs\ [This word is from Latin.] [no alternate pronunciation(s)] adj (1151-2)
originating in a region
Some fear that these plants, which are not indigenous to the region, may choke out the vegetation that is native to the area. 167. sovereign \sov’rin\ [This word is from an English word which is from a
[\sov’ər in\] French word which is from a Latin word.] [\suv’ər in\] adj (2179-3)
having absolute authority in a certain realm
The sovereign queen, with steely resolve, ordered that the traitorous nobleman be killed.
168. camaraderie \ka’mə ra’də re\ [This word is from French.] [\ka’mə rad’ə re\] n (321-1)
Camaraderie among employees usually leads to success in business.
169. requisition \rek’wə zish’ən\ [This word is from French which came from a Latin [no alternate pronunciation(s)] word.]
n (1929-2)
a demand for goods, usually made by an authority
During the war, the government made a requisition of supplies.
170. garrulous \gar’ə ləs\ [This word is from Latin.]
[\gar’yə ləs\] adj (937-2) talkative, wordy
Some talk show hosts are so garrulous that their guests can’t get a word in edgewise.
171. pinnacle \pin’ə kəl\ [This word is from an English word which came from [no alternate pronunciation(s)] a French which came from a Latin word.]
n (1720-1) the highest point
Book reviewers declared that the author’s new novel was extraordinary and probably the pinnacle of Western literature.
172. didactic \di dak’tik\ [This word is from Greek.]
[no alternate pronunciation(s)] adj (628-1) intended to instruct
She wrote up a didactic document showing new employees how to handle the company’s customers.
173. empirical \em pir’i kəl\ [This word is from a Latin word which came from a [no alternate pronunciation(s)] Greek word.]
adj (743-2)
based on observation or experience
The scientist gathered empirical data on the growth rate of dandelions by studying the dandelions behind his house. 174. neophyte \ne’ə fit’\ [This word is from a Latin word which came from a
[no alternate pronunciation(s)] Greek word.] n (1516-3)
someone who is young or inexperienced
As a neophyte in the literary world, Malik had trouble finding a publisher for his first novel.
175. amorphous \ə mor’fəs\ [This word is from Greek.]
[no alternate pronunciation(s)] adj (72-1)
without definite shape or type
The effort was doomed from the start, because the reasons behind it were so amorphous and hard to pin down.
176. pulchritude \pul’kri tood’\ [This word is from an English word which came from [\pul’kri tyood’\] a Latin word.]
n (1839-1) physical beauty
Several of Shakespeare’s sonnets explore the pulchritude of a lovely young man.
177. insatiable \in sa’shə bəl\ [This word is from an English word which came from [\in sa’she ə bəl\] a French word which came from a Latin word.]
adj (1168-1)
incapable of being satisfied
My insatiable appetite for melons can be a real problem in the winter.
178. coalesce \ko’əles’\ [This word is from Latin.]
[no alternate pronunciation(s)] v (432-2)
to fuse into a whole
Gordon’s ensemble of thrift-shop garments coalesced into a surprisingly handsome outfit.
179. raucous \ro’kəs\ [This word is from Latin.]
Sarah’s neighbors called the cops when her house party got too raucous.
180. laudatory \lo’də tor’e\ [This word is from Latin.] [\lo’də tor’e\] adj (1277-2)
expressing admiration or praise
Such laudatory comments are unusual from someone who is usually so reserved in his opinions.
181. disparage \di spar’ij\ [This word is from an English word which came from [no alternate pronunciation(s)] a French word.]
v (653-1)
to criticize or speak ill of
The saleswoman disparaged the competitor’s products to persuade her customers to buy what she was selling.
182. pellucid \pə loo’sid\ [This word is from Latin.]
[no alternate pronunciation(s)] adj (1667-3)
easily intelligible, clear
Wishing his book to be pellucid to the common man, Albert Camus avoided using complicated grammar when composing The Stranger.
183. eschew \es choo’\ [This word is from an English word which came from [no alternate pronunciation(s)] a French word.]
v (775-2) to shun, avoid
George hates the color green so much that he eschews all green food.
184. concoct \kon kokt’\ [This word is from Latin.]
[\kən kokt’\] v (471-2)
to fabricate, make up
She concocted the most ridiculous story to explain her absence. 185. vicissitude \vi sis’i tood\ [This word is from French which came from a Latin
[\vi sis’i tyood\] word.] n (2550-1)
event that occurs by chance
The vicissitudes of daily life prevent me from predicting what might happen from one day to the next.
186. fraught \frot\ [This word is from English which came from a
[no alternate pronunciation(s)] German word.] adj (904-1)
(usually used with “with”) filled or accompanied with
Her glances in his direction were fraught with meaning, though precisely what meaning remained unclear.
187. divisive \di vi’siv\ [This word is from Latin.]
[no alternate pronunciation(s)] adj (664-2)
causing dissent, discord
Her divisive tactics turned her two friends against each other.
188. myriad \mir’e əd\ [This word is from Greek.]
[no alternate pronunciation(s)] adj (1495-3)
consisting of a very great number
It was difficult to decide what to do Friday night because the city presented us with myriad possibilities for fun.
189. harangue \hə rang’\ [This word is from an English word which came from [no alternate pronunciation(s)] a French word which came from an Italian word.]
n (1031-2) a ranting speech
Everyone had heard the teacher’s harangue about gum chewing in class before.
190. ostentatious \os’ten ta’shəs\ [This word is from an English word.] [\os’tən ta’shəs\] adj (1597-2)
On the palace tour, the guide focused on the ostentatious decorations and spoke little of the royal family’s history. 191. anonymous \ə non’ə məs\ [This word is from a Latin word which came from a ]
[no alternate pronunciation(s)] Greek word. adj (89-2)
being unknown, unrecognized
Mary received a love poem from an anonymous admirer. 192. irascible \i ras’ə bəl\ [This word is from French which came from a Latin
[no alternate pronunciation(s)] word.] adj (1193-1) easily angered
At the smallest provocation, my irascible cat will begin scratching and clawing.
193. contrite \kən trit’\ [This word is from an English word which came from [\kon’trit\] French which came from a Latin word.]
adj (496-3)
penitent, eager to be forgiven
Blake’s contrite behavior made it impossible to stay angry at him. 194. euphoric \yoo for’ik\ [This word is from Latin which came from a Greek
[\yoo for’ik\] word.] adj (784-2) elated, uplifted
I was euphoric when I found out that my sister had given birth to twins.
195. debacle \də ba’kəl\ [This word is from French.]
[\də bak’əl\] n (582-1)
a disastrous failure, disruption
The elaborately designed fireworks show turned into a debacle when the fireworks started firing in random directions.
196. pariah \pə ri’ə\ [This word is from Tamil. (an Indian dialect)] [no alternate pronunciation(s)] n (1641-3)
an outcast
Following the discovery of his plagiarism, Professor Hurley was made a pariah in all academic circles.
197. impetuous \im pech’oo əs\ [This word is from English which came from a [no alternate pronunciation(s)] French word which came from a Latin word.]
adj (1134-1) rash; hastily done
Hilda’s hasty slaying of the king was an impetuous, thoughtless action.
198. arbitration \ar’bi tra’shən\ [This word is from an English word which came from [no alternate pronunciation(s)] a French word which came from a Latin word.]
n (110-2)
the process or act of resolving a dispute
The employee sought official arbitration when he could not resolve a disagreement with his supervisor.
199. languid \lang’gwid\ [This word is from a French word which came from a [no alternate pronunciation(s)] Latin word.]
adj (1270-2)
sluggish from fatigue or weakness
In the summer months, the great heat makes people languid and lazy.
200. coup \koo\ [This word is from an English word which came from
a brilliant, unexpected act
Alexander pulled off an amazing coup when he got a date with Cynthia by purposely getting hit by her car.
201. ebullient \i bul’yənt\ [This word is from Latin.]
[\i bool’yənt\] adj (718-1)
extremely lively, enthusiastic
She became ebullient upon receiving an acceptance letter from her first-choice college.
202. promulgate \prom’əl gat’\ [This word is from Latin.] [\pro mul’gat\] v (1816-1)
to proclaim, make known
The film professor promulgated that both in terms of sex appeal and political intrigue, Sean Connery’s James Bond was superior to Roger Moore’s.
203. catalyze \kat’l iz’\ [This word is from French which came from an [no alternate pronunciation(s)] English word.]
v (350-3) to charge, inspire
The president’s speech catalyzed the nation and resuscitated the economy.
204. impeccable \im pek’ə bəl\ [This word is from Latin.] [no alternate pronunciation(s)] adj (1132-2)
exemplary, flawless
If your grades were as impeccable as your sister’s, then you too would receive a car for a graduation present.
205. nuance \noo’ans\ [This word is from French.]
[\nyoo’ans\] n (1547-2)
[\noo ans’\] a slight variation in meaning, tone, expression
[\nyoo ans’\] The nuances of the poem were not obvious to the casual reader, but the professor was able to point them out.
206. expunge \ik’spənj\ [This word is from Latin.]
[\ek’spənj\] v (803-3)
to obliterate, eradicate
Fearful of an IRS investigation, Paul tried to expunge all incriminating evidence from his tax files.
207. abjure \ab’joor\ [This word is from an English word which came from
[\ab’jur\] a French word and a Latin word.] v (4-1)
to reject, renounce
To prove his honesty, the President abjured the evil policies of his wicked predecessor.
208. fallacious \fə la’shəs\ [This word is from a French word which came from
[\fə lash’əs\] a Latin word.]
adj (818-2)
incorrect, misleading
Emily offered me cigarettes on the fallacious assumption that I smoked.
209. malleable \mal’ eə bəl\ [This word is from an English word which came from [\mal’yə bəl\] a French word which came from a Latin word.]
adj (1367-3 & 1368-1)
capable of being shaped or transformed
Maximillian’s political opinions were so malleable that anyone he talked to was able to change his mind instantly.
210. dearth \dərth’\ [This word is from an English word.]
An eager reader, she was dismayed by the dearth of classis books at the library.
211. juxtaposition \jəks tə pə’zi shən\ [This word is from Latin and English.] [\juk’stə pə zish’ən\] n (1229-3)
the act of placing two things next to each other for implicit comparison
The interior designer admired my juxtaposition of the yellow couch and green table.
212. rapport \ra por’\ [This word is from French.]
[\ra por’\] n (1882-3)
[\rə por’\] mutual understanding and harmony
When Margaret met her paramour, they felt an instant rapport. 213. efficacious \ef’ə ka shəs\ [This word is from Latin.]
[\ef’i ka shəs\] adj (725-2) effective
My doctor promised me that the cold medicine was efficacious, but I’m still sniffling.
214. laconic \lə kon’ik\ [This word is from a Latin word which came from [no alternate pronunciation(s)] a Greek word.]
adj (1261-3)
terse in speech or writing
The author’s laconic style has won him many followers who dislike wordiness.
215. accretion \ə’kre shən\ [This word is from Latin.]
[no alternate pronunciation(s)] n (13-2)
slow growth in size or amount
Stalactites are formed by the accretion of minerals from the roofs of caves.
216. heinous \ha’ nəs\ [This word is from an English word which came from [no alternate pronunciation(s)] a French word.]
adj (1050-1)
shockingly wicked, repugnant
The killings were made all the more heinous by the fact that the murderer first tortured his victims for three days.
217. oscillate \os’ə lat\ [This word is from Latin.]
[no alternate pronunciation(s)] v (1595-3)
to sway from one side to the other
My uncle oscillated between buying a station wagon to transport his family and buying a sports car to satisfy his boyhood fantasies.
218. inane \i nan’\ [This word is from Latin.]
[\ə nan’\] adj (1140-1)
silly and meaningless
Some films are so inane that the psychology of the characters makes absolutely no sense.
219. circuitous \sər kyoo i dəs\ [This word is from Latin.] [\sər kyoo ə təs\] adj (408-3, 409-1)
roundabout
The bus’s circuitous route took us through numerous outlying suburbs.
220. presumptuous \pri zəmp’ choo əs\ [This word is from an English word which came from [\pri zəmp’ chəs\] a French word which came from a Latin word.]
adj (1796-2, 3) disrespectfully bold
The princess grew angry after the presumptuous noble tried to kiss her, even though he was far below her in social status.
221. debauch \də boch’\ [This word is from French.]
[\di boch’\] v (582-2)
An endless amount of good wine and cheese debauched the traveler.
222. truculent \trək’yə lənt\ [This word is from Latin.] [\truk’yə lənt\] adj (2454-3)
[\troo’kye lənt\] ready to fight, cruel
This club doesn’t really attract the dangerous types, so why was that bouncer being so truculent?
223. scurrilous \skər’ ələs\ [This word is from Latin.] [\skər’ə ləs\] adj (2044-2)
vulgar, coarse
When Bruno heard the scurrilous accusation being made about him, he could not believe it because he always tried to be nice to everyone.
224. alleviate \ə le ‘ve at’\ [This word is from Latin.] [\ə lev’ e at’\] v (56-1)
to relieve, make more bearable
This drug will alleviate the symptoms of the terrible disease, but only for a while.
225. flabbergasted \flab’ər gast’id\ [The origin of this word is unknown.] [no alternate pronunciation(s)] adj (861-3)
astounded
Whenever I read an Agatha Christie novel, I am always flabbergasted when I learn the identity of the murderer.
226. bequeath \bi kweth’\ [This word is from an English word.]
[\bi kweth’\] v (205-3) to pass on, give
Jon’s father bequeathed his entire estate to his mother. 227. indefatigable \in’ di fat’i gə bəl\ [This word is from a French word which came from a
[no alternate pronunciation(s)] Latin word.] adj (1147-2)
incapable of defeat, failure, decay
Even after traveling 62 miles, the indefatigable runner kept on moving.
228. engender \en jen’dər\ [This word is from an English word which came from [no alternate pronunciation(s)] a French word which came from a Latin word.]
v (752-1)
to bring about, create, generate
During the Olympics, the victories of U.S. athletes engender a patriotic spirit among Americans.
229. collusion \kə loo’zhən\ [This word is from an English word which came from [no alternate pronunciation(s)] a French word which came from a Latin word.]
n (446-3)
secret agreement, conspiracy
The three new law students worked in collusion to steal the final exam.
230. renunciation \ri nun’se a’shən\ [This word is from a Latin word that became [\re nun’she a’shən\] English.]
v (1923-2) to reject
Fiona’s renunciation of red meat resulted in weight loss, but confused those people who thought she’d been a vegetarian for years.
231. luminous \loo’mə nəs\ [This word is from an English word which came from [no alternate pronunciation(s)] a Latin word.]
brightly shining
The light of the luminous moon graced the shoulders of the beautiful maiden.
232. demagogue \dem’ə gog’\ [This word is from Greek.]
[\dem’ə gog’\] n (598-3)
a leader who appeals to a people’s prejudices
The demagogue strengthened his hold over his people by blaming immigrants for the lack of jobs.
233. superfluous \soo pur’floo əs\ [This word is from a Latin word that became [\soo pur’fləs\] English.]
adj (2294-1)
exceeding what is necessary
Tracy had already won the campaign so her constant flattery of others was superfluous.
234. ameliorate \ə mel’yə rat\ [This word is from a Latin word that became French.] [\ə me’le ə rat\] v (67-3)
to improve
The tense situation was ameliorated when Sam proposed a solution everyone could agree upon.
235. vituperate \vi too’ pə rat’\ [This word is from Latin.] [\vi too’ pə rat’\] v (2560-1)
[\vi tyoo’ pə rat’\] to berate
Jack ran away as soon as his father found out, knowing he would be vituperated for his unseemly behavior.
236. insidious \in sid’e əs\ [This word is from Latin.] [no alternate pronunciation(s)] adj
appealing but imperceptibly harmful, seductive
Lisa’s insidious chocolate cake tastes so good but makes you feel so sick later on!
237. paucity \po’si te\ [This word is from a Latin word that became French [\pos’ ət e\] that became English.]
adj (1657-2) small in quantity
Gilbert lamented the paucity of twentieth century literature courses available at the college.
238. contemporaneous \kən tem’pə ra’ne əs\ [This word is from Latin.] [no alternate pronunciation(s)] adj (491-2)
existing during the same time
Though her novels do not feature the themes of Romanticism, Jane Austen’s work was contemporaneous with that of Wordsworth and Byron.
239. gratuitous \grə too’i təs\ [This word is from Latin.] [\grə tyoo’i təs\] adj (992-1)
uncalled for, unwarranted
Every morning the guy at the donut shop gives me a gratuitous helping of ketchup packets.
240. dissonance \dis’ə nəns\ [This word is from Latin.] [no alternate pronunciation(s)] n (657-3)
lack of harmony or consistency
Though the president of the company often spoke of the company as reliant solely upon it workers, her decision to increase her own salary rather then reward her employees revealed a striking dissonance between her alleged beliefs and her actions.
241. mollify \mol’ə fi\ [This word is from a Latin word that became [no alternate pronunciation(s)] English.]
to soften in temper
The police officer mollified the angry woman by giving her a warning instead of a ticket.
242. antediluvian \an’te di loo’ve ən\ [This word is from Latin.] [no alternate pronunciation(s)] adj (91-1)
ancient
The antediluvian man still believed that Eisenhower was President of the United States and that hot dogs cost a nickel. 243. frivolous \friv’ə ləs\ [This word is from a Latin word that became
[no alternate pronunciation(s)] English.] adj (913-1)
of little importance, trifling
Someday, all that anxiety about whether your zit will disappear before the prom will seem totally frivolous.
244. equanimity \e’kwə nim’i te\ [This word is from Latin.] [\ek’wə nim’i te\] n (767-1)
composure
Even though he had just been fired, Mr. Simms showed great equanimity by neatly packing up his desk and wishing everyone in the office well.
245. crescendo \kri shen’do\ [This word is from Latin.] [\kre sen’do\] n (534-3)
a steady increase in intensity or volume
The crescendo of the brass instruments gave the piece a patriotic feel.
246. obsequious \əb se’kwe əs\ [This word is from a Latin word that became [no alternate pronunciation(s)] English.]
adj (1558-1)
excessively compliant or submissive
Mark acted like Janet’s servant, obeying her every request in an obsequious manner.
247. brusque \brəsk\ [This word is from a French word which came from
[no alternate pronunciation(s)] Latin.] adj (286-3)
short, abrupt, dismissive
The captain’s brusque manner offended the passengers. 248. inviolable \in vi’ə lə bəl\ [This word is from Latin.]
[no alternate pronunciation(s)] adj (1190-2) secure from assault
Nobody was ever able to break into Batman’s inviolable Batcave. 249. duplicity \doo plis’i te\ [This word is from an English word which came from
[\dyoo plis’ əte\] Latin.] n (703-1) crafty dishonesty
His duplicity involved convincing his employees to let him lower their salaries and increase their stock options, and then to steal the money he saved and run the company into the ground. 250. audacious \o da’shəs\ [This word is from a French word which came from
[no alternate pronunciation(s)] Latin.] adj (142-3) excessively bold
The security guard was shocked by the fan’s audacious attempt to offer him a bribe.
251. pertinacious \pur’tn a’shəs\ [This word is from Latin.] [no alternate pronunciation(s)] adj (1688-1)
Harry’s parents were frustrated with his pertinacious insistence that a monster lived in his closet. : ) Then they opened the closet door and were eaten.
252. dilatory \dil’ə tor’e\ [This word is from Latin.]
[\dil’ə tor’e\] adj (633-2)
tending to delay, causing delay
The general’s dilatory strategy enabled the enemy to regroup.
253. winsome \win’səm\ [This word is from English.]
[no alternate pronunciation(s)] adj (2622-3) charming, pleasing
After such a long, frustrating day, I was grateful for Chris’s winsome attitude and childish naiveté.
254. haughty \ho’te\ [This word is from English, which formed it from a [no alternate pronunciation(s)] French word, which came from a Latin word.]
adj (1038-3) disdainfully proud
The superstar’s haughty dismissal of her costars will backfire on her someday.
255. preponderance \pri pon’dər əns\ [This word is from a Latin word.] [\pre pon’dər ənts\] adj (1791-1)
superiority in importance or quantity
Britain’s preponderance of naval might secured the nation’s role as a military power.
256. bourgeois \boor’zhwa\ [This word is from French.]
[\boor zhwa’\] n (261-1)
a middle-class person, capitalist
Many businessmen receive criticism for the bourgeois approach to life.
257. quagmire \kwag’miər\ [This word’s origin is unknown.] [\kwaag’miər\] n (1857-3)
a difficult situation
We’d all like to avoid the kind of military quagmire characterized by the Vietnam War.
258. lenient \le’ne ənt\ [This word is from Latin.]
[\len’yənt\] adj (1293-3)
demonstrating tolerance or gentleness
Because Professor Oglethorpe allowed his students to choose their final grades, the other teachers believed that he was excessively lenient.
259. sycophant \sik’ə fənt\ [This word is from Latin which came from a Greek [\sik’ə fant’\] word]
[\si’kə fant\] n (2315-2)
one who flatters for self-gain
Some see the people in the cabinet as the president’s closest advisors, but others see them as sycophants.
260. evanescent \ev’ə nes’ənt\ [This word is from Latin.] [no alternate pronunciation(s)] adj (786-3)
fleeting, momentary
My joy at getting promoted was evanescent because I discovered that I would have to work much longer hours in a less friendly office.
261. deferential \def’ə ren’shəl\ [This word is from French.] [\def’ə ren’chəl\] adj (591-3)
showing respect for another’s authority
His deferential attitude toward her made her more confident in her ability to run the company.
262. obstreperous \əb strep’ər əs\ [This word is from Latin.] [\əb strep’ ə rəs\] adj (1559-1)
